Introduction

This enlightening and inspiring book shows both accomplished and aspiring leaders how to harness Buddhist philosophies to practice more effective and sustainable leadership. Illustrated through the stories of visionary and innovative leaders in many fields, including Elon Musk (Tesla), Malala Yousafzai (human rights), Howard Schultz (Starbucks), and Muhammad Yunus (microfinance and development), this volume links an ancient Buddhist concept, known as the Noble Eightfold Path, to contemporary needs to develop an alternative paradigm to the excessive bottom-line focus and winner-take-all approach that has come to dominate leadership practice in recent decades.

Context and Relevance

The stunning rejection by the United Kingdom of the European Union and the divisive US presidential race of 2016 serve as a dramatic backdrop to complex social issues that require creative solutions bringing together stakeholders from different fields and points of view. The Eightfold Path—characterized by the following elements: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration—is an approach to leadership that balances individual and collective concerns while aligning pragmatic and spiritual priorities.

Author and Application

Joan Marques, an accomplished author, speaker, and educator on spirituality in organizations, with extensive experience in teaching and applying Buddhist principles, demonstrates how the Eightfold Path can inform practices and decisions that result in long-term communal benefits, and, in the process, develop more mindful and conscientious leaders capable of tackling multifaceted challenges.